


Sevenforked River

by solitariusvirtus



Series: So Doth The River Run [4]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Companion Piece, Gen, Searching for inspiration, So Doth The River Run compliant, just for fun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-08-09 05:17:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7788178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solitariusvirtus/pseuds/solitariusvirtus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The maesters upon the Age of Dragons, the Long Night and what has spawned from it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coldbloom

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_1507 ALN_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once one gets past the Neck the Seven Pillars takes on an entirely different aura. Of course, that can be said of many of these customs, for those who to this day can trace their roots to the mysterious First Men make a point of conferring to any such festive occurrences importance of monstrous proportions. Like their Southnron brethren, the Northerners observe the calendar strictly and their preparations are orderly and calmly seen to. But their manner of gathering what is needed puts them apart from the others.

The further North one goes, the earlier collecting starts. Even with new implements meant to aid the agricultural endeavours of landowners, the custom still holds that once a moon turns has passed into the new year, gathering of materials for the Seven Pillars Fest begins. As to why that is, locals have been kind enough to explain that the First Pillar offers not fruit of the earth but of the mind, and as such every man and women is expected to give their utmost to their craft in those first days of the year. Through the following six moon turns, foodstuff and utensils are brought together in what is to make the seven-day long feast. And indeed, it seems that this mode of gathering a little at a time gives these folk an advantage over their Southron kin.

In the fifth turn the women begin sewing pressed coldblooms into the hem of their kirtles, the more daring ones going as far as to line the inside of their pillows with such blooms, in hopes of catching a glimpse of their future.  It is also the turn of the Traveller’s tale. In each home, by the hearth, the children gather to hear of Prince Aenay[r] and the proud Iorves, maiden of the Coldbloom Court.

Continuing a tradition seemingly older than the community remembers, the Traveller’s tale is well-known for incorporating several trope reversals. In its most popular form, it contains only one such reversal. Though several, slightly different, stories have been recorded by maesters past, it seems to be the case that we are dealing with a common core belief. For clarity’s sake, I shall summarise the Traveller’s take in brief.

A Prince of fame and fortune, embarks against the wishes of his father, the King, on a journey of great length. After several misadventures, he lands with his companions in a strange kingdom where all colour has been drained, except for one: the clear blue of a Princess’ eyes. Iorves of the Coldbloom Court is niece to a King of her own and under pressure to wed. Having refused the brave knights of her own land her uncle chooses Aenay[r] for her. Iorves agrees to wed him, if he will bring her a single bloom of a tree which grows the flowers whose name her court bears. The Prince pledges to bring her such a flower even knowing once his task is completed he will perish. He does indeed kept his word and the curse takes his life. Remorseful at her deed, Iorves picks the petals off the bloom and feeds them to the Prince in order to revive him. To the great joy of the court, the gallant is back on his feet, but the Princess has brought the wrath of the gods down upon herself and is transformed into a scaly winged creature. This, however, does not stay the Prince’s love, who in the face of the gods’ decision declares that he still wishes to remain with the Princess, thus together the duo go on to have many an adventure that is the stuff of legends.

As stories go, this one satisfies the hearer fully. But is there something more that can be gleaned from it? Is there a figure behind the Aenay[r] of the tale to identify? Several maesters have tried unsuccessfully to connect the tale to the well-known knight Arsor Silverstep and his legendary, by now, love for Princess Ileana.[1]

What this approach neglects is the obvious and much more pronounced similarities between the Prince of the Traveler’s tale and Aenys Targaryen, son of King Baelenor. While there is much we do not yet know about his death, Prince Aenys’ life is reflected in the Traveler’s tale almost perfectly. He travelled deep into the lands of Essos and encountered a daughter of a local leader whom he wedded only for a bloody war to take both of their lives. The bodies were sent overseas to Westeros, by order of King Baelenor.[2]

And, of course, a second parallel is drawn to the man who brought the coldbloom into Westeros. Legend places him fifth among his brothers, as the son of the ruling King Rhaegar of the 300 AL[3] and a Northerner mother[4]. Listed as Aenar or Aenarr, he is said to have travelled Essos extensively as well before his return Westeros and assuming the white cloak of the Kingsguard. On one of his many travels he came upon a strange bloom, of which he pressed a number to take back with him. He brought back a live specimen, allegedly carried in the mouth of his dragon, called coldbloom henceforth for withstanding the high temperatures within.

This belief is strengthened by a series of letters found in the Citadel of Oldtwon, the product of a fruitful and constant communication among not only Aenar Targaryen and King Rhaegar, but his siblings as well. Unfortunately, some of these precious parchments have been handled with less than enough care, resulting in the destruction of scores of such letters. What remains is a number of fifty such exchanges, with the possibility of more being found once the locations mentioned can be pinpointed on a map.     

That being said, I have taken the liberty of translating a few passages from one such letter from Prince Aenar to one of his sisters his still-tongued, most stalwart secrets bearer. I assume he writes to Princess Aemma.[5]   

 

 

 

 

_Sweet mine sister,_

_I deeply regret having caused again friction between the two [the King and Queen], but I never shall feel aught but joy at having escaped the suffocating hold [of the Faith]. But you know they [King and Queen] live for moments such as these, when they may, to their heart’s content, be at loggerheads and debate heatedly where they should not have compromised. To think I shall miss the good fun that is to be had. Pray write to me when you can and tell me all._

_For myself, I am well. You would not believe how easily one gets used to long hours spent upon a dragon’s back without saddle. But since Ior…[the name has been scratched away] has outgrown the last one, I’ve had to take it apart. Flying by night is most challenging though and I pray it will not be long until there is no longer need for it._

_There are many wonders to be seen in this part of the world, most of which I would have been gladder to read about over a bowl of hot soup. You must be laughing to yourself, chiding me for this complaint, as it was my choice, but I am well tired of tough salted meats. Iorth… can at least hunt for food. I’ve already had to pay three separate shepherds for this insatiable beast._

_We finally reached a settlement I cab write about. The Rhoynish had claim over it in the days of yore, but now it lies abandoned, not a soul in sight, save for a few fat juicy rats the beast keeps chasing about. The marble of the walls in the most durable I have seen. Twice we’ve slammed into it and yet there is no crack to be seen. In the centre there is a great square where I am told there used to be a market. I see many weeds and flowers, and I think our sister should like some for her press, but naught resembles the busy markets I’ve yet seen in these parts. Wars have chased the population away long past and no one has settled within since. ‘Tis a pity for I find the climbing flowers a sight for sore eyes and the homes spacious enough for even Lord Fr[e]y and his brood. The name of it, if ever you should wish to find the place, is Sar Mel[l] and flying along the many branches of the Dragon Road might lead you to it._

_Beneath this great lumbering beast there lies another structure. It can be reached through the catacombs, but most of it is unstable timber pillars. I did not dare go too far within, but I have managed to pull out a most interesting flat coin I am told is not a coin at all but part of a necklace. In ages long forgotten, the First Men traded with the settlement on the underground, or they were themselves First Men. I wonder if I should risk life and limb for a few more trinkets. What say you, sister, shall I bring you a full necklace the likes of which you’ve never seen?    -_ _Customs, Tales and Folklore of Westeros_ , by Maester Sidwyck

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

[1] _Arsor Silverstep and Ileana Tearmiaden_ is still sung to this day in the halls of the marsh lords.  

[2] There is still some dispute regarding the year the war took place in, with some scholars placing it in 645 ALN while others claim the year to be 665 ALN. What can be said with certainty is that the war was no earlier than 640 ALN.

[3] AL stands for Aegon’s Landing, commonly used to mark the years after the mythical Aegon Targaryen conquered Westeros.

[4] Allegedly the mother of six out of the seven sons, according to Dragonlied, her name was Lyanne, with some sources spelling it as Lyanna. She was of House Rosby according to Maester Willmot, with Maester Sartor claiming she was a Baratheon. Further study places her in House Stark. King Rhaegar’s first bride is given as a member of House Martell by the name of Elia. Apparently the order is as such: Aemon, Jaehaerys, Daegar, Maelor, Aenar and Rhaemon. The daughters are presumably of the following names: Naerys, Rhaella, Elaena, Daena, Baelle, Aemma and Rhae. 

[5] Maester Illyn in his _Deeds of the Dragons_ claims Aemma, later married to House Royce, was oft called the Vault for her secrecy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dicking around


	2. A Single Duty

 

 

 

 

 

 

_**2003 ALN** _

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although much of the experience yet eludes us when it comes to the Age of the Long Winter, there is still enough information from the chronicles of the time and from later sources which helps us puzzle through a period roughly stretching from around 300 AL to 860 AL. The very name of this period is suggestive. Coming from earlier belief in a deification of the central season, winter slowly came to be associated with a figure of lore evocatively named the Night’s Queen. The Night’s Queen is an ethereal creature said to have dwelled in the northmost point of Westeros, beyond the Drifts. An exact location of the capital-city from which she is supposed to have ruled is yet to have been discovered, with some speculating a large portion of the land has sunken beneath the surface of the Shivering Sea[1]. The father of this theory is widely regarded to be Erran Thenn, who presented it for the first time in the 1300s ALN. The theory was further developed at a later date[2] by Theodar Blackwood and Flin Yronwood who began a lifelong project solely dedicated to discovering the fabled location[3]. Others look to the Frostfangs as the possible location, namely the series of valleys known as the Toes and the ruin city stretching throughout. Thus this supposed capital bares the name of Nightshearth after its queen. Unfortunately, despite a spike in the findings surrounding this period, we are yet unable to name any royal of this supposed line save for a once mentioned Múireann, whose bust can be found in King’s Landing, according to Maester Bayrne captured in a raid during the Long Winter.      

The Age of the Long Winter is commonly divided in the Long Night and the Long Winter. The Long Night is a period of approximately two centuries, regarded as the beginning of a global cooling of the planet, followed by maintained period of wintry climate. Additionally, the Hour of Twilight and the New Dawn are sometimes counted as being part of the Age of Long Winter, extending the period by some one hundred years. To say Westeros is lacking in resources regarding the heads of the then Seven kingdoms is more than laughable in the face of a complete if not refined list of all rules from before the dawning of the Age of the Long Winter onwards. Some of these leaders have left behind besides the administrative documents of the age, works of art beside. There is enough material at the researchers’ disposal that several lifetimes would be needed to look over each and every one of them in part.

We will not presume to go through more than a fraction of it ourselves, keeping in mind that our interest lies in discovering what duties a member of the royal family shoulders. The Long Winter has been thoroughly discussed in many other works, thus let us give our attention to the Long Night and its many kings and queen along with their often colourful courts despite the dangerous times of their existence.

A succinct version of the ruling line’s genealogy presents itself as such: Rhaegar I Targaryen[4]; Aegon VI Targaryen, his son; Rhaenys Targaryen[5], daughter of Rhaegar; Aemon I Targaryen, son of Rhaegar; Daemon Targaryen, his son; Aerys III Targaryen, his son; Gaemon I Targaryen, his son; Gaemon II Targaryen; Jonos[6] Targaryen , his son; Gaemon II Targaryen; Maelor Targaryen, son of Jonos; Rhaegar II Targaryen, brother of Maelor; Daeron III Tragaryen, his brother; Daenera Targaryen, daughter of Daeron Targaryen; Aegon VII Targaryen, her son; Haegar Targaryen, his son; Maegor II Targaryen, his son; Daeron IV Targaryen, his son; Rhaegar III Targaryen, his son; Alix I Targaryen, his son;  Alix II Targaryen, his son; Velaena Targaryen, his daughter[7].       

*There are several individuals whose short reigns are for the most part discounted by historians. They have been included for the purpose of having a complete list of the heads of state in spite of their diminished importance.

The first to reign during the Long Night proper was King Aegon VI Targaryen. A look into the activitie4s of the man while he was still Crown Prince should then not be amiss. The then Prince entertained lively correspondence with Lord Jon Baratheon[8]. At the time it is presumed the first was squiring in Dorne, under Prince Oberyn Martell, the second a squire to Ser Wylis Manderly in the North.

 

 

 

_My lord Hand,_

_Lamprey pie does not sound like a manner of torture to me. Unless you mean that the horses are being tortured, which I can believe. Tell me if one of those noble creatures weeps at the sheer weight of Lord Too-Fat-To-Ride and I shall do my knightly duty hereforth. I will manage to slide the matter somewhere between my uncle’s constant battering of dear cloth and the hours spent on horseback, trying my mightiest not to fall flat when he ties those boulders to my arms. I swear he does it just to see me injured. The weight of the lance is more than enough, I tell you._

_Might be it shall be before I polish uncle’s suit of armour though. The steel is never used, yet he insists that I must apply its oils on all days, lest by some miracle it comes to life and decides to engage some unsuspecting fool in combat. Or better yet, I may sneak away when uncle is busy at his sport. I should be back before he knows it._

_You are in greater luck than I, I fear on that account. I have asked father to allow that we might return for your sister’s nameday, but his answer was that Lady Alysanne must travel to her own home now that the previous lord lies quiet in his grave. If ‘tis not too great a thing to ask of you, let her know why it is I am unable to come. And do let her know she could easily write to me as well; her hand shan’t fall off from the effort and even a great lady such as her must have the time to pen a few words._

 

 

 

The rigorous training the Crown Prince endured at the hands of his uncle has long since become the subject of many a jest. Awake from before dawn and staying up well into the night, Aegon accompanied Prince Oberyn on a number of his escapades, but mostly as the one who carried out the more practical duties of such a lifestyle. The experience is said to have contributed to his great love of the Dornish spirit, namely the untamable need for adventure exhibited in the far south of the Seven Kingdoms.  

 _-_ Anonymous

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Notably adapted in _The Inceling Saga,_ the theory postulates a once magnificent city rested on the high jagged cliffs in those parts. Its disappearance is explained by the famed Yncel Inceling as the result of a great battle in which one of the two opponents cut straight through the rock, resulting in the steep slopes present thereafter.  

[2] cca 1560 ALN

[3] The results of this series of expeditions is well-known and does not need repeating. Suffice to say among hundreds of such pieces of evidence the theory gained unprecedented popularity.

[4] Commonly considered to belong to the Hour of Twilight rather than the Long Night

[5] Not to be confused with Rhaenys Plumm, queen of Maelor I Targaryen.

[6] High Valyrian form of the common name Jon; thought to have been given the name by his Arryn mother as he was born in exile.

[7] Her forced removal from the throne broke the Targaryen lineage, with six subsequent generations of Targaryen making their home in the Restored Valyria until Aeryn Targaryen managed to recapture the throne during the later Long Winter.

[8] Incidentally later serving as his Lord Hand when Aegon was crowned

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Self-Explanatory

Basically the basic plot. Lol.


End file.
